Latest news with #Menzies'
Global News
10-07-2025
- Global News
Judge sets execution date for Utah death row inmate with dementia
A judge in Utah has set an execution date for a death-row prisoner with dementia, while his lawyers argue that his worsening condition should be considered in the application of his punishment. Ralph Leroy Menzies, 67, is set to be executed on Sept. 5 for the 1986 kidnapping and murder of a Utah mother of three, Maurine Hunsaker. Given the choice 37 years ago, Menzies selected to be killed by firing squad. If he dies in this manner, he will become just the sixth U.S. prisoner to be executed by firing squad since 1977, according to The Associated Press. Despite the court's acknowledgement of Menzies' deteriorating mental state, he was deemed competent for execution by Judge Mathew Bates in June. In July, his lawyers filed a petition asking the court to reconsider the decision after presenting a new expert report claiming his health had declined significantly since previous evaluations and was no longer cognizant of the reason for the execution. Story continues below advertisement But Bates said Wednesday that Menzies' worsening dementia was not a reason to stop him from setting an execution date. However, Bates did schedule a July 23 hearing to evaluate the new competency petition. Menzies' lawyers say his dementia has gotten so severe that he uses a wheelchair, is dependent on oxygen and cannot understand his legal case. View image in full screen Ralph Leroy Menzies appears in Third District Court for a competency hearing in West Jordan, Utah, Monday, Nov 18, 2024. Rick Egan / The Canadian Press 'We remain hopeful that the courts or the clemency board will recognize the profound inhumanity of executing a man who is experiencing steep cognitive decline and significant memory loss,' Lindsey Layer, a lawyer for Menzies, said. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Taking the life of someone with a terminal illness who is no longer a threat to anyone and whose mind and identity have been overtaken by dementia serves neither justice nor human decency.' Meanwhile, the Utah Attorney General's Office said it has 'full confidence' in the judge's decision, Assistant Attorney General Daniel Boyer said. Story continues below advertisement In the past, the U.S. Supreme Court has spared inmates with dementia from the death penalty. In Alabama in 2019, a man who killed a police officer was not put to death because the court ruled that if a defendant cannot understand why they are being executed, the execution does not carry out the retribution that society is seeking. The son of Hunsaker, who was 10 when his mother was killed by Menzies, said it has been hard to accept that it has taken almost 40 years to serve justice. Hunsaker, 26, was abducted by Menzies from a convenience store where she worked in the Salt Lake City suburb of Kearns. She was later found strangled and her throat cut about 25 kilometres away at a picnic area in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Story continues below advertisement Menzies had Hunsaker's wallet and several other belongings when he was jailed on unrelated matters. He was convicted of first-degree murder and other crimes in 1988. Over nearly four decades, lawyers for Menzies have filed multiple appeals that delayed his execution, which had been scheduled at least twice before it was pushed back. In April, a death row inmate in South Carolina suffered a bungled execution after the firing squad missed its target. Mikal Mahdi was killed by prison officials, but autopsy results, as well as photographs and documents obtained by the Guardian and analyzed by his legal team, indicated that executioners did not follow protocol and that Mahdi endured prolonged pain that outlasted the 10- to 15-second period of consciousness that is expected. Utah last executed prisoners by firing squad in 2010, and South Carolina used the method on two men this year. Only three other states — Idaho, Mississippi and Oklahoma — allow firing squad executions. Menzies is among 10 people scheduled to be put to death in seven states during the remainder of 2025. Twenty-five men in the U.S. have died by court-ordered execution so far this year. — with files from The Associated Press
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
As state moves toward execution, Ralph Menzies' attorneys appeal to Utah Supreme Court
Ralph Leroy Menzies listens as attorney Eric Zuckerman talks to the judge during a competency hearing in 3rd District Court in West Jordan on Monday, Nov 18, 2024. (Pool photo by Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune) Attorneys for death row inmate Ralph Menzies have filed an appeal with the Utah Supreme Court, challenging a recent decision that found the 67-year-old convicted killer has dementia, but is still competent enough to be executed. The news comes as the Utah Attorney General's Office says it plans to move forward with Menzies' firing squad execution, with a hearing set for July 9 to discuss the application for an execution warrant. An execution warrant, sometimes called a death warrant, is one of the final steps in the process, where the state authorizes the prison to carry out a death sentence after appeals have been exhausted. It's not yet clear how the appeal to the Utah Supreme Court will impact the state's application for an execution warrant. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Menzies was convicted of murder in 1988 after he kidnapped 26-year-old gas station clerk Maurine Hunsaker from her work and took her up Big Cottonwood Canyon, where she was later found tied to a tree with her throat slashed. Menzies spent decades on death row, and in recent years his health has deteriorated. After falling several times in prison he was diagnosed with vascular dementia, caused when the brain's blood flow is disrupted, leading to memory loss and declining cognitive function, according to court testimony. An MRI exam showed Menzies' brain tissue is deteriorating, and his balance is fraught, causing him to fall several times each month. His attorneys say his brain is so damaged that he cannot form a rational understanding of why the state is pursuing the death penalty. The goal of the death penalty — retribution and deterrence — cannot be achieved if Menzies doesn't really understand why he's being executed, they argued. But attorneys for the state say while Menzies might be suffering from cognitive decline, he doesn't meet that threshold of incompetence. And Utah's 3rd District Judge Matthew Bates ultimately agreed in a ruling issued Friday evening. Judge says Ralph Menzies does have dementia, but is competent enough to be executed Menzies' attorneys told Utah News Dispatch they disagree with the ruling and would file an appeal with the Utah Supreme Court. That was made official on Monday, with his attorneys writing they plan to challenge 'the final order finding that despite a proper medical diagnosis of vascular dementia, Mr. Menzies has failed to demonstrate that he is incompetent to be executed.' In Utah, death row inmates sentenced before May 2004 had a choice between lethal injection and firing squad. Menzies, when he was sentenced in 1988, chose the firing squad. For those sentenced after 2004, the default method of execution is lethal injection, unless the necessary drugs are not available. The news that Menzies was found competent to be executed was celebrated by Matt Hunsaker, Maurine's son, who told Utah News Dispatch 'my family is very happy to see that we might have some closure coming.' 'We definitely appreciate the fact that it's moving forward, we are in hopes that the flow can continue and we can get an execution date and the death warrant signed immediately,' Hunsaker said on Friday following Bates' ruling. Menzies' attorney Lindsey Layer, meanwhile, said she respectfully disagreed with the ruling, calling her client 'a severely brain-damaged, wheelchair-bound, 67-year-old man with dementia and significant memory problems.' 'He cannot understand the State's reasons for his execution. His dementia is progressive and he is not going to get better. It is deeply troubling that Utah plans to remove Mr. Menzies from his wheelchair and oxygen tank to strap him into an execution chair and shoot him to death,' Layer said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
Judge says Ralph Menzies does have dementia, but is competent enough to be executed
Ralph Leroy Menzies appears for a competency hearing in 3rd District Court in West Jordan on Monday, Nov 18, 2024. (Pool photo by Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune) A Utah judge says death row inmate Ralph Menzies is mentally competent enough to be executed by firing squad. In a ruling issued Friday evening, 3rd District Judge Matthew Bates wrote that Menzies does have dementia, but it's not enough to prevent him from understanding why he's being punished. Menzies' attorneys say they plan to appeal the decision to the Utah Supreme Court. The ruling caps of a monthslong competency hearing that began in November, where attorneys for Menzies argued the 67-year-old's brain is so damaged he can't form a 'rational understanding' of why the state is pursuing the death penalty. Attorneys for the state, meanwhile, argued that Menzies does show signs of cognitive decline but he's still competent. Will Ralph Menzies' dementia keep him from a firing squad? Attorneys make final argument Menzies has spent nearly 40 years on death row, after being convicted of murdering Maurine Hunsaker in 1986. Menzies kidnapped Hunsaker, a 26-year-old gas station clerk, from her work and took her up Big Cottonwood Canyon, where she was later found tied to a tree with her throat slashed. In recent years, Menzies' health has deteriorated, his attorneys say. After falling several times in prison, he was diagnosed with vascular dementia, caused when the brain's blood flow is disrupted, leading to memory loss and declining cognitive function. An MRI exam showed Menzies' brain tissue is deteriorating, and his balance is fraught, causing him to fall several times each month. In his ruling Friday, Bates acknowledged Menzies' condition, but said it's not enough to deem him incompetent. 'Although Menzies has shown he has vascular dementia, he has not shown by a preponderance of the evidence that his mental condition prevents him from reaching a rational understanding of his punishment or the State's reasons for it. Therefore, he has not met his burden to show he is incompetent to be executed,' Bates wrote. In a statement, Matt Hunsaker, Maurine's son, said he appreciated the court's diligence for issuing the ruling so soon. During the final day of arguments in the competency hearing on May 7, Bates said he would issue a ruling in 60 days, giving himself a July 6 deadline. 'It kind of comes as a shock to the family. We weren't expecting it this soon,' Hunsaker said. 'We definitely appreciate the fact that it's moving forward, we are in hopes that the flow can continue and we can get an execution date and the death warrant signed immediately.' Hunsaker, in a text message, added, 'my family is very happy to see that we might have some closure coming.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Menzies' attorney Lindsey Layer told Utah News Dispatch they disagree with the ruling, and plan on filing an appeal with the Utah Supreme Court. 'Ralph Menzies is a severely brain-damaged, wheelchair-bound, 67-year-old man with dementia and significant memory problems,' Layer said. 'He cannot understand the State's reasons for his execution. His dementia is progressive and he is not going to get better. It is deeply troubling that Utah plans to remove Mr. Menzies from his wheelchair and oxygen tank to strap him into an execution chair and shoot him to death.' In Utah, death row inmates sentenced before May 2004 had a choice between lethal injection and firing squad. Menzies, when he was sentenced in 1988, chose the firing squad. For those sentenced after 2004, the default method of execution is lethal injection, unless the necessary drugs are not available. Read the ruling below: Menziesruling SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
Judge says Ralph Menzies does have dementia, but is competent enough to be executed
Ralph Leroy Menzies appears for a competency hearing in 3rd District Court in West Jordan on Monday, Nov 18, 2024. (Pool photo by Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune) A Utah judge says death row inmate Ralph Menzies is mentally competent enough to be executed by firing squad. In a ruling issued Friday evening, 3rd District Judge Matthew Bates wrote that Menzies does have dementia, but it's not enough to prevent him from understanding why he's being punished. Menzies' attorneys say they plan to appeal the decision to the Utah Supreme Court. The ruling caps of a monthslong competency hearing that began in November, where attorneys for Menzies argued the 67-year-old's brain is so damaged he can't form a 'rational understanding' of why the state is pursuing the death penalty. Attorneys for the state, meanwhile, argued that Menzies does show signs of cognitive decline but he's still competent. Will Ralph Menzies' dementia keep him from a firing squad? Attorneys make final argument Menzies has spent nearly 40 years on death row, after being convicted of murdering Maurine Hunsaker in 1986. Menzies kidnapped Hunsaker, a 26-year-old gas station clerk, from her work and took her up Big Cottonwood Canyon, where she was later found tied to a tree with her throat slashed. In recent years, Menzies' health has deteriorated, his attorneys say. After falling several times in prison, he was diagnosed with vascular dementia, caused when the brain's blood flow is disrupted, leading to memory loss and declining cognitive function. An MRI exam showed Menzies' brain tissue is deteriorating, and his balance is fraught, causing him to fall several times each month. In his ruling Friday, Bates acknowledged Menzies' condition, but said it's not enough to deem him incompetent. 'Although Menzies has shown he has vascular dementia, he has not shown by a preponderance of the evidence that his mental condition prevents him from reaching a rational understanding of his punishment or the State's reasons for it. Therefore, he has not met his burden to show he is incompetent to be executed,' Bates wrote. In a statement, Matt Hunsaker, Maurine's son, said he appreciated the court's diligence for issuing the ruling so soon. During the final day of arguments in the competency hearing on May 7, Bates said he would issue a ruling in 60 days, giving himself a July 6 deadline. 'It kind of comes as a shock to the family. We weren't expecting it this soon,' Hunsaker said. 'We definitely appreciate the fact that it's moving forward, we are in hopes that the flow can continue and we can get an execution date and the death warrant signed immediately.' Hunsaker, in a text message, added, 'my family is very happy to see that we might have some closure coming.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Menzies' attorney Lindsey Layer told Utah News Dispatch they disagree with the ruling, and plan on filing an appeal with the Utah Supreme Court. 'Ralph Menzies is a severely brain-damaged, wheelchair-bound, 67-year-old man with dementia and significant memory problems,' Layer said. 'He cannot understand the State's reasons for his execution. His dementia is progressive and he is not going to get better. It is deeply troubling that Utah plans to remove Mr. Menzies from his wheelchair and oxygen tank to strap him into an execution chair and shoot him to death.' In Utah, death row inmates sentenced before May 2004 had a choice between lethal injection and firing squad. Menzies, when he was sentenced in 1988, chose the firing squad. For those sentenced after 2004, the default method of execution is lethal injection, unless the necessary drugs are not available. Read the ruling below: Menziesruling SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
The Herald Scotland
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Historic Scottish firm acquires major Scandinavian player
Once the deal completes, the Spirit cargo operations will be rebranded as Menzies Aviation, further strengthening the company's presence as a leading aviation services provider in the Nordic region. Safety is Menzies' number one priority, with teams already working to ensure a seamless transition upholding its global safety standards and to ensure the delivery of secure, high-quality cargo handling from day one. Miguel Gomez Sjunnesson, executive vice president Europe, Menzies Aviation, said: "This acquisition marks an exciting step forward in our strategic expansion as we strengthen our air cargo footprint across Europe. "By adding a new cargo station to the Menzies global network, we're building momentum in key markets and reinforcing our commitment to supporting cargo growth across the region. These targeted investments are a clear signal of our ambition and confidence in the sector's long-term potential. Thanks to SAS for their trust and collaboration throughout this process." Beau Paine, executive vice president cargo, Menzies Aviation, said: "Our expansion into the Norwegian air cargo market demonstrates our continued focus on delivering consistent, high-quality service to our partner airlines, while enhancing the overall logistics supply chain. "As we grow our global cargo network, we remain committed to being the cargo provider of choice through operational excellence, reliability, and innovation. The addition of OSL takes our global air cargo network to 73 stations, which handled 2.4m tonnes last year." Founded as a bookshop in 1833, John Menzies later became a news distributor and a series of acquisitions put it into the airport services sector in the 1980s. It sold its distribution arm in 2018, and was acquired by supply chain giant Agility for £763 million in 2022.
